Poughkeepsie hostage standoff ends with arrest; child safe

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (AP) -- Authorities say a man with a knife who held police at bay for hours has been arrested and the child he was holding hostage in a house is safe.

Poughkeepsie officials tell the Poughkeepsie Journalthe standoff that started at about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday ended shortly before 5 p.m. Earlier, two females were taken from the house to a hospital for treatment of injuries that aren't life-threatening.

Police Chief Ronald Knapp says officers initially went to the house to investigate a reported stabbing. The house was surrounded by SWAT team members and other officers as negotiators convinced the man to give up and release the child, who's believed to be about 5 years old.

The chief says everyone involved knows each other. Their names and relationships haven't been released.